The present disclosure relates to a developer (particularly, two-component developer), an image forming apparatus, and an image forming method.
An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member. A toner included in a developer is supplied to an electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the image bearing member. Through the above, the electrostatic latent image is developed into a toner image. The toner image is then transferred from the image bearing member to a transfer target. A toner remaining on the image bearing member after the transfer may cause insulation breakdown in a photosensitive layer included in the image bearing member. In a situation in which the insulation breakdown occurs in the photosensitive layer, black spots (so-called leak black spots) are generated in a formed image. Therefore, various studies have been made to inhibit occurrence of the insulation breakdown in the photosensitive layer.
In an example of a magnetic toner, the magnetic toner contains at least a binder resin, a wax component (a releasing agent), and a magnetic substance. Free particles of the magnetic substance are present in the magnetic toner at a rate of at least 70 particles and no greater than 500 particles per 10,000 toner particles.